THERE’S CATCH TO CENTER FIELDER MAYBIN’S HEROICS

LOS ANGELES 
Cameron Maybin says the catches he’s made in the Padres’ past two games rank right up there with the best of his career.

“I covered a lot of ground to make both those plays, which is as important to me as having them look great,” the Padres center fielder said Saturday.

In the final game of the first half, Maybin flew into the wall in left-center at Petco Park to rob the Reds’ Joey Votto of an extra-base hit. Friday night, he made a diving catch in left-center at Dodger Stadium to rob A.J. Ellis.

“Those rank up there with my favorite catches,” said Maybin, who takes extra pride in making a leaping catch at the fence to rob a rival of a home run.

“I made a leaping catch at the wall in Miami last year to take a homer away from Logan Morrison and that ranks up there,” said Maybin. “I got Seth Smith in Colorado at the wall last year and stole a home run in San Francisco.

“I actually came up just short on a couple leaps this year, including not getting a Seth Smith homer at Oakland. That would have been something because I also took a double away from him last year with a diving catch.”

Maybin, incidentally, would prefer not to make diving catches.

“I don’t dive unless I have to,” he said. “I’d rather catch the ball on the run than dive. Making that catch (Friday) night knocked the wind out of me for a second and my neck is stiff today.”

Maybin said Friday night’s catch was probably more difficult than last Sunday’s highlight film catch at Petco Park.

“I knew I was going to get to the ball at Petco Park,” said Maybin. “I just knew that to get it I was going to have to leap and I was going to hit the wall. But they’ve done a great job padding that wall.

“On Friday night, that ball started curving away from me and dropping like a slider at the last second. Diving like that was a last-second impulse ... it was the only way I was going to get that ball.”

“The catch at Petco was the best of the year,” said Padres manager Bud Black. “But Friday, seeing an outfielder fully extended, horizontal to the ground and at full reach, that’s a great sight.”

One that Maybin doesn’t relish.

“I know there are outfielders who time it so they can dive for everything,” said Maybin. “I’d rather do it right and make the play with the smallest chance of missing the ball rather than having it look good.

“I pride myself on my defense and keeping runs off the board. But I avoid diving if possible. I want to stay healthy.”

Amarista carving niche

Black sees the versatility of Alexi Amarista — who can play all three outfield positions as well as second, short and third — being a major plus for the Padres moving forward.

“It’s a great advantage to us if we can move him around and he’s good with it,” Black said. “His versatility is invaluable. And we feel comfortable with him defensively at any spot ... we’ve got no questions about his ability to play any position.”